Hydraulic apparatus and means for operating the same.



w. A. DOBLE. HYDRAULIC APPARATUS AND MEANS FOR OPERATING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8, 1909.

1,028,197, Patented June 4, 1912.

2 BHEETSSHEET 1. I

W. A. DOBLE.

HYDRAULIC APPARATUS AND MEANS FOR OPERATING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8, 1909.

Patented June 4, 1912.

2 BHEETS-SHEET 2.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. D. c.

rnsrrnn sra'rns rarnnr orrren WILLIAM A. DOBLE, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO IVIARYE. DOBLE,

' OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

HYDRAULIC APPARATUS AND MEANS FOR OPERATING THE SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM A. DOBLE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of San Francisco, California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Apparatus and Means for Operating the Same, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of hydraulic motors in which waste water passes from the motor. through a tailrace or conduit, and one of the objects of my invention is to provide means whereby to prevent interference with the operations of the mo tor by any back-flow of water into the conduit, to which end I forcibly eject the water through said conduit by means of a supplemental and forcible jet of water from a supplemental injector, which may also be used as a means ofpreventing the deterioration of the main parts of the apparatus by the presence of grit of any character. These and other features of the improvement are fully set fort-h hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of suflicient of an impact apparatus to illustrate my invention; Fig. 2 a plan view; Fig. 3 an enlarged sectional view. of the supplemental discharge device.

As illustrated my invention is shown in connection with a hydraulic motor of the impact type, although certain features of the invention may be employed in connection with motors of a different character. The motor shown has a wheel A, with peripheral radial blades 8 supported within a casing B so that only the lower portion extends below said casing. and above the rear or closed end of a conduit or tailrace C. The wheel is driven as usual in such cases, by a jet from a nozzle 2, forming part of a casing D and controlled in its cross-sectional area by the adjustment of a needle valve 3, and there is also illustrated in this connection a supplemental casing E. and nozzle 2 provided with a valve 4, and control devices G of such character that the supplemental valve may be opened at such times as may be necessary to prevent any sudden increase of pressure resulting from the closing of the main valve 3. It will not be necessary to further describe or illustrate the construction and operation of the parts in connection with the two valves 3 and 4 as they are fully set forth in other applications for Letters Patent, as for instance in my application No. 303,219.

In combination with the motor and the discharge conduit or tailrace C, I so arrange a nozzle of proper character and so supply the said nozzle with water under a high pressure as to discharge forcibly a jet of water into the body of water in the conduit which flows from the motor, the purpose of this arrangement and the use of such a jet being to prevent any back-flow of water into the conduit that would interfere with the operation of the motor, thereby maintaining the efficiency of the natural head of water at the plant.

As shown the supplemental nozzle forms partof a casing F provided with a valve 5 adjustable by a hand-wheel 6, and arranged at the upper end of the conduit so that the jet discharged from the casing, through its nozzle, will be directed along the conduit below the wheel A and into the body of water flowing from said wheel, with the result that the entire body of water in the conduit is put in such rapid motion under such an impetus that it will force back water which might otherwise tend to flow back into and fill the conduit, and thereby interfere with the operations and decrease the efficiency of the motor. There can therefore be no such interference with the action of the motor from the backing up of water during flood periods as would otherwise occur.

The supply to the injector nozzle may if desired be through a supply pipe J, separate from the supply to the casing of the main nozzle, so that the use of the injector jet will not in any way lower. the pressure in the upper casing, but for some purposes it is advantageous to make use of the lower nozzle in connection with the. upper nozzle or nozzles in order to prevent the wear of the latter by the discharge of sand, gravel, etc., which tends to wear away the nicely finished valves and nozzles of these portions of the apparatus. By combining with the main nozzle and also with the main and supplemental nozzles, when both are used, a subsidiary discharge device I am enabled to relieve the upper nozzle or nozzles of the presence of gravel, pebbles and sand carried by the water, and to blow these particles off by the relief device, the nozzle and valve of which are so constructed as to permit the ready discharge of such particles and are of such a character as not to be injured thereby. Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 3, which shows said subsidiary devices, the nozzle 2 thereof has an opening with an annular beveled face adapted to the beveled face of the valve 5, and when the latter is withdrawn by turning the hand-wheel 6 there is afforded an extended port through which such pebbles, sand or grit of any character as accumulates in the casing F can be freely discharged, and thus the wear of the finely finished nozzles and valves of the other parts of the apparatus is prevented. This combination, while shown as arranged for use in connection with means for injecting a forcible jet into the conduit, may be employed wherever it is required to relieve the main nozzle of an impact motor from wear by the presence of grit of any character.

Where hydraulic apparatus is used at a high altitude, or any place where it is subjected to a low temperature, the inrush of cold air at the discharge conduit is apt to result in freezing up the machinery. This is due in part to the flow of the water rapidly from the tailrace and, especially in connection with impact motors, from the action of the main and auxiliary jets and from the centrifugal action of the blower tending to drive the air out of the tailrace and produce a vacuum therein. This results in an indraft from the outside and such a lowering of the temperature that the fine spray and particles of water are readily frozen and build up a mass of ice which obstructs or prevents the operations of the apparatus. I prevent any such result by arranging within the tailrace, and at some distance beyond the motor, a swinging partition or flap K, which, as shown, is hinged at its upper edge so as to swing outward by the action of the current, but by its presence practically closes the conduit above the surface of the water and prevents any inflow there. The door or partition may be of iron and may be set by means of a hand-Windlass L and chain 10, as shown, instead of depending upon the flow of water to hold it in its position.

As set forth in Letters Patent No. 7 52,538, it is advisable in connection with apparatus of the character described to make use of a vortex baflie plate I. When this is used in connection with my improvements it is arranged at such a height that the body of water forcibly ejected by means of the supplemental jet may pass freely below thesame without interfering with the action of the baffle plate for the purpose for which it is intended.

\Vhile I have described and illustrated a certain form and arrangement of parts for carrying out my invention I do not limit myself to these, inasmuch as the forcible jet for preventing a back-flow in the conduit as well as a means of maintaining the efficiency of the main nozzle or nozzles may be secured with different forms and constructions of parts.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with the wheel'of an impact water motor, of a nozzlearranged to direct a stream of water against the blades of the wheel, a conduit or tailrace receiving the water flowing from the wheel, and separate means for injecting a forcible jet of water into the body of water in the conduit in the direction of its flow.

2. The combination with the wheel of an impact water motor, of a'nozzle arranged to direct a stream of water against the blades of the wheel, a conduit or tailrace receiving the water flowing from the wheel, and a supplemental nozzle arranged to inject a jet of water into the body of water in the conduit in the direction of its flow.

3. The combination with the wheel of an impact water motor,'of a nozzle arranged to direct a stream of water against the blades of the Wheel. a conduit or tailrace receiving the water flowing from the wheel, and asupplemental nozzle arranged to inject a jet of water into the body of water in the conduit in the direction of its flow, said nozzle provided with a control valve, as set forth.

4|:- The eombination' with the wheel of an impact water motor, of a nozzle arranged to direct a stream of water against the blades of the wheel, a conduit or tailrace below said wheel receiving the water flowing from the wheel, and a nozzle and means for supplying it with water at a high pressure, said nozzle arranged to direct a j etof water into the body of water in the conduit in the direction of its flow.

5. The combination with the nozzle of an impact motor, of a supplemental nozzle connected to receive water from the main nozzle and arranged below the latter and provided with an outlet for the discharge of gravel, etc., and adjustable valves for closing and opening the mouths of both nozzles.

6. In an impact motor apparatus, the combination of a'plurality of casings arranged one above the other, and means of supplying water to the upper casing and each contracted at one end to form a nozzle, a valve for closing and opening each nozzle, the lower nozzle and valve adapted to permit the free passage of gravel, etc., for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination with a hydraulic m0- tor and its tailrace, of a partition arranged to prevent the backflow of air currents into the tailrace for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination with a hydraulic m0- tor and its tailrace, of a swinging door or partition arranged to permit the flow of water through the tailrace but to close the tailrace above the water for the purpose described.

9. The combination with a hydraulic motor and its tailrace, of a Vortex baffle plate arranged in the tailrace and means for ejecting a forcible jet of water into the tailrace below said bafiie plate.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

lVILLIAM A. DOBLE. Witnesses:

HARRY J LAsK, CHAS H. SANDERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

